10 Questions with ... Jerrod Niemann

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Jerrod Niemann is an accomplished songwriter, artist, and producer, with seven albums under his belt, two career #1 singles as an artist, and several BMI Awards for songwriting. His breakthrough came in 2006, with a co-write on "Good Ride Cowboy," recorded by Garth Brooks. Signed to Arista Nashville in 2010, Niemann topped the charts with "Lover, Lover" and "Drink To That All Night." In 2016, Niemann transitioned to Curb Nashville, and has just released "This Ride," for which he doubles as producer. In this week’s “10 Questions” feature, Niemann chats with All Access about his recent life and career changes; the process of putting together the new album; his current single, “I Got This;” and Country radio and Country music of today.

1. Jerrod, thank you for taking the time for "10 Questions." Last time we talked in this space was March of 2014. A lot has happened since then; you're married, you made a label change, etc. How much do those major life and work changes impact your music?

I think it's conscious and subconscious, because I didn't even realize it until we were halfway through making the album; I used a lot more heart and lot less liver on this project! It does creep its way in - it's real life. And, whether it's your story or someone else's, it finds its way into the music. Obviously, our ears are always on, so you're absorbing information from everywhere, and when it's personal like that, it's the way you express yourself. The truth is - just to take it out of the love part and into the business aspect - I only wrote two songs on this album, because I really wasn't one hundred percent sure what I wanted to say. It wasn't like I was in a bad spot, but when I was leaving Sony and going to Curb, it was kinda like when you go somewhere to buy a Hallmark card for your wife or your mother, and you see something, and you're like, "Oh, that's exactly what I wanted to say." Well, that's how it is when you hear a song - "That's exactly how I wanted to say that." So, for me, I really leaned on the songwriters in Nashville; there are so many great, young talents here. It was so much fun. And, I got to produce it, play on it, and sing on it, so you're connected to it either way.

2. Since you brought up having only two songwriting credits of your own on your new album, "This Ride," was it a conscious move to cut some of Nashville's finest on this album - Ashley Gorley, the just-Grammy nominated Josh Osborne, Ross Copperman - or, did it just work out that way?

I'm on the road for sometimes 250 plus days a year, and you just don't have that much time. You're not writing, because you're doing what you love in a different aspect. So, just recycling old songs because I wrote them is not fair to fans, the songwriters in Nashville - we're all a big family - so, the best song should win, which can be arguable, but I went with the songs that were speaking to me, and that's all you can do. The generator is going nonstop; there's always that buzz that's just enough to drive you crazy. Also, if we're playing in a city where we have friends at radio, obviously the label is most likely gonna fly in for lunch or dinner. There are also certain priorities [on the road], so if you bring a writer, then you don't wanna waste their time, so it puts you on the spot to do it. I've had a couple lucky moments writing on the road, but I feel like more and more people are defecting away from the appointments and the machine. Although, when I first moved to town, 10a was when you went and wrote; that's when all of our heroes got up to write, so that's when your butt was gonna get up to write. Now, it's been pushed to 11a and at night. Like, if I'm gonna write with Lee Brice or Lance Miller or Rob Hatch, we probably won't start until at least 10p.

3. The single,"I Got This," is a fun, breezy tune that sounds more spring or summer-themed - and I love that you've come with it in Fall, when everybody says ballads are more expected.

Yeah, I love the vibe. Speaking of Josh Osborne, Luke Dick, and Rodney Clawson wrote it, and Luke Dick is a guy who wrote another song on the album, "Feelin'," with Chris Janson. That was kinda the sound we work on, anyways, and [Luke Dick] already did it in his house, by himself. He grew up in Oklahoma, real close to where I grew up in Kansas, and we just clicked, and I fell in love with his music. So, I went to his house one day to meet him in person - we had never actually hung out - and, I asked if he had anything else up his sleeve, and the first song he played was "I Got This." I was like, "That puts me in a place I wanna be." You hear these songs that you wish you would've been in the room for, and this is definitely one of them. It's kinda funky, but it has a lot of cool pictures in it, and I love songs that you can see. When we did the video, I said, "Let's generalize this video, where people can still use their imagination," because no one's ever said, "Oh, the movie's better than the book," because it's not their imagination. So, when you hear a song, you imagine it with your eyes, then you see the video, and it kinda can throw you off. So, I wanted to do a simple video so that people can still use their imaginations. Obviously, we're coming up to the end of the year with Christmas, but we just wanted to get some music out there and hope that everybody's ready to roll down the windows, crank it up, and tap their foot a little bit.

4. This new album - to me - feels closer to "Judge Jerrod And The Hung Jury" than anything I've heard since. You have an amazingly broad and educated taste in music, and that was evident in the highly experimental "Free the Music" in 2012. Do you feel this album is more centered, as well?

Yeah, I do. I think what's always driven me in the studio - and, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, commercially - is the growth of an artist. It's challenging myself outside of the lines and taking tools out of my toolbox, where I have to come up with a different sound with these amounts of tools. It allows you to expand your creativity in your brain. Over time, these last three albums, I was able to learn so much in the studio that I missed when it was all pureed together, and it's like the 'best of the best' sound. I do appreciate you saying it's like "Judge Jerrod," because I said, "Look, with 'Drink To That All Night,' I said to turn everything to eleven - like spinal tap - and blow the windows out. With this album, let's use half the instrumentation and force ourselves to get twice the sound, where everything isn't just a production, it's an arrangement - every note is there for a reason." There's so much space in the songs for room to breathe that every little note is gonna be heard, and it was so fun to watch how a tiny little guitar lick stands out above all. We really made a conscious effort to crack the instruments right down the middle.

5. "I Ain't All there" is one you wrote, and you have Diamond Rio as special guests. I know you are a big fan and an aficionado of 90's Country. How did all of you hook up for this cut?

That's a highlight of the record for me, for sure. I have a little studio in my basement, and it was the wee hours of the morning, and I was down there making a demo. I started singing harmonies, like a "Lover, Lover" approach, and I thought, "That's the approach Diamond Rio used to take," and, obviously, no one can do it like them - they're the best - but, I thought maybe those guys would be kind enough to come in. We reached out to them, and they said, "Sure." So, they came in, and my jaw was dropping. They're so good! They brought that song to another level, but they took the album to another level to me, as a fan of theirs.

6. You now have seven albums, with a hand in production on all of them. You have also produced all but one song on "This Ride." Would you ever consider assisting with the production on another artists' project?

I would love to! It'd be amazing. If I'm ever asked if singing or writing is more fun, to me, they are so completely different; I don't know how you could compare them. But, producing is the same way; it's a three-dimensional version. When you first start out with a song, you get to go in and add all of these layers, and, for me, not only to help somebody capture the voice they have, but also the sound, statements, and impact of their passion, it would be unreal. I'd love to do that. I'd really be careful about doing it with the right artist, oppose to doing it just to say I did it. I would hate to hinder someone's career; I'd love to prop them up. So, it'd have to be someone I click with - it has to be the right [artist], or I wouldn't wanna do that to them.

7. I mentioned your broad musical taste - your willingness to try different things and your vast knowledge of Country music that goes back to the 60s - so, I wonder as you look around and listen to Country radio right now, are you excited about all the various influences that are finding their way into this genre and on the radio?

The truth is, as long as people are being true to themselves, people are either going to react to it well or not. They're gonna be able to see through - everyone has their BS detector. But, if it's true, and it's their heart and soul and their opportunity and dream, then who am I to oppose that? If you go back to the 20s, Jimmie Rodgers was a Country boy trying to sing the Blues out of Meridian, MS, and became "The Father Of Country Music," "The Singing Brakeman," and "The Blue Yodeler." It was the same with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Bob Wills - they're all in the Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame and Country Music Hall Of Fame. Way back in the day, everything was played on the same channels before there were genres. All these lines have been overlapped; instead of someone saying they're branching out, taking Country music in a direction that may be healthy or unhealthy for it, the truth is it's already been done over and over and over. Through the years, it seems like we mix with mainstream every ten years. Right now, Spotify and all these other ways people are consuming music, they're hearing all types of different things and digging it and opening their eyes, because when you're raised like us, your parents and radio were what you're raised around and all you know. Now, people can click and find what they dig, so it's confusing. But, like I said, all these things have been done before, but it's good to hear some good Country music creeping back in to where it should be. It's okay to tinker around with stuff, but you still gotta support those that are holding onto the traditional side.

8. If you had to do it all over again, would release "Donkey" as a single? I remember a lot of conversation about that song when you sent it to radio.

The truth is it's already done. You can "what if" all you want. We don't know what's next in our lives, whether it's personal or professional; it's all leading us to a certain place, and if you change the past, you won't be where you're supposed to be. With that being said, obviously I'm the artist; therefore my name is forever attached to it. People yell that song all night, every night at our concerts still, and if you don't play it, people get pissed. I fear indifference; I'd rather someone love something or hate something rather than not care, and that's the approach of "Donkey." Also, that wasn't my choice as a single, and I was really convinced to put that out. My reaction was, "Well, what happens when people call in and aren't really excited about this song?" They just said, "A couple of people aren't going to manipulate an entire market." Obviously, it didn't win a Grammy!

9. Are you still involved with "Free The Music USA" and its efforts to provide musical resources to kids?

In the video for "God Made A Woman"- which we filmed in Marfa, TX - in the last scene, I grab these rocks and decided to make [my wife] Morgan some jewelry. I studied so many hours of YouTube videos and bought a bunch of crap. So, I made her this jewelry and fell in love with making it. On the road, we've been gearing up to release this line of jewelry to help raise money for "Free The Music USA." I've given away a lot of them - trial and error, just learning. This next year, we'll have some cool ones that hopefully people can dig. I just bought ten acoustic guitars, and it's been fun to be able to give these to people that deserve them.

10. Also, in 2016, you did your first USO tour. What did you take away from that experience and would you do it again?

You get over there, and the hardest part is when you leave, because you know they're still there. It was so exciting at the beginning, because I didn't know what to expect, and there's other entertainers there, and you're on this jet to travel to crazy places. But, I have to say, when I came home, I told Morgan that it was the most amazing experience of my life. I didn't realize that I'd have so much fun; I knew I'd be extremely grateful and honored to do it, but I had so much fun with our military laughing and singing along. It was amazing to see how many Country [music] fans were there; they were so welcoming and cool. To be a fly on the wall for a day in those places to see how amazing they are and how much they sacrifice is mind-blowing. I'll go back any time I'm asked. They deserve a hell of a lot more than that, but it's the best I can do for now.